Judaic lecture series features ‘Dolphin Boy’ documentary


The FIU Judaic Studies Program will host a screening of “Dolphin Boy” at noon Friday, March 9 at Academic Health Center 3 (AHC-3), room 205.

An interactive discussion with the film co-producer Judith Manassen-Ramon and Maria Pienkowski-Gunia, a senior research support specialist with the FIU Center for Children and Families, will take place after the screening.

Dolphin Boy” is a critically acclaimed documentary by directors Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir. Filmed during the course of four years, it tells the story of Morad, an Israeli teenager who suffered from severe post traumatic stress disorder after being brutally beaten by his classmates. After two months of ineffective psychotherapy, Morad’s psychologist suggested he undergo dolphin-assisted therapy, a treatment that involves hands-on contact with dolphins.

“‘Dolphin Boy’ is still fairly new and is breaking ground internationally,” said Oren Stier, director of the Judaic Studies Program. “Lots of films are made in Israel, but this one tells a very unique and compelling story. There’s so much more to Israel and its cultural output, and the film is reflective of that. We want to promote the multifaceted study of Israel beyond the conflict and beyond Jewish religion to the broader FIU community.”

The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Psychology, Shalom FIU, Hasbara Fellowships and the Consulate General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico. It is part of the Spring 2012 Judaic Studies Program lecture series and is supported, in part, by Targum Shlishi, A Raquel and Aryeh Rubin Foundation.